March is the month to…

A pinch and a punch for the first of the month, and all that jazz. And whilst I’m in the mood for (mis)quoting:

Beware the Ides of March!

March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb.

I hope the second is true!

Spring is in the air, which is presumably the reason that there are so many events in March. Of course there are lots of interesting and obscure events every month, but since I started this feature recently, I’ve yet to become aware of them. March begins today and without even pausing to draw breath, I would like to wish you a Happy St David’s Day (if you are Welsh that is. If not, you’ll have to wait your turn!)

There are three things that come to mind when I think of Wales. I doubt I am alone in immediately conjuring up pictures of leeks, daffodils and Tom Jones. Oh, and rubgy. Given that the Kidlings have yet to be introduced to rugby and Tom Jones, and I didn’t have any leeks to hand, the Girls got to make Daffodils at the weekend. I think they turned out pretty well.

First, cut out the central pillars from an egg box and paint yellow inside and out. Dip the outer edge of the trumpet in glitter and leave to dry. We also painted paper plates left over from Dimples’ birthday yellow and green, but you could use card.

[short interlude whilst I bathed both children who, by then, were covered in green paint and bore passing resemblence to a pair of Leprechauns.]

When dry, pierce base of trumpet and push onto short end of bendy straw. secure in place with sticky tape.

Cut flower petal shapes from your yellow card in a semi circle and fold round the straw under the trumpet, securing with more tape. Bend petals back. Cut leaves from green card and stick to straw ‘stem’. And Bob’s Your Uncle, one St David’s Daffodil.

[We stuck ours to paper, though the straws were tricky to glue, so I held them in place with sticky tape and glued green card, whichI had feather cut to look like grass, over the top.]

Other events in March include:

3 March 2011   World Book Day visit their websites for more information and to find out about events near you.

8 March 2011   Shrove Tuesday (Pancake Day) Make your own pancakes, or go and see some pancake races. Lent begins the following day.

14 March 2011  Commonwealth Day. This year the theme is ‘Women as agents of change‘. Take a look at their website for further details.

17 March 2011 St Patrick’s Day (The London St Patrick’s Day Parade will actually be held on Sunday 13 March 2011) Go Green, drink Guiness and affect a dodgy Irish accent and enjoy the craic. Here are a few pointers if you want to know about London’s best Irish bars.

18 March 2011  Red Nose Day. Do something funny for money (or in my case, buy a Vivienne Westwood designed t-shirt for your children and make them look ridiculous. It’s cuter.) and raise much needed money to help fund worthwhile causes both in the UK and overseas.

26 March Oxford Cambridge Boat Race. The 157th Annual clash on the Thames between the two prestigious universities is a major event in the International Sporting Calendar. Which blue will triumph this year?

27 March 2011  British Summer [insert hysterical laughter here] time begins, so we will loose an hour in bed. Jyst what you need after a busy month. Fotunately there is a bonus Bank Holiday in April to make up for it.

That should keep you busy.